Jazz /
Inside: Missing Link
A 20th Century Renaissance man, cartoonist, film director, author, radio personality, record company owner, German guitarist Volker Kriegel played an important role in the European jazz-rock and fusion movements. Co-founder of the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble, Kriegel’s own groups and collaborations with American vibraphonist Dave Pike gained him a world-wide audience, as his 14 albums for MPS as leader and 15 as sideman can attest.
Volker Kriegel assembled a band of some of the leading musical…
What Happened There?
An electrifying 1st-time meeting between guitarist Keiji Haino and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, captured live at Tokyo's Shinjuku Pit Inn, where the duo shape an unpredictable set that veers from reflective stillness to wildly passionate outbursts, their extended techniques and visceral vocals — sometimes urgent, sometimes outrageous — fueling an exhilarating and uncompromising sonic adventure.
Four Corners & Steps Ahead
*2025 stock, few available* A reissue of the rare Jazz, Funk & Fusion Library LP “Four Corners“ by Second Direction. A project of the saxophonist and flutist Fritz Münzer, produced in 1976 by “Joy Unlimited” founder Klaus R. Nagel at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg. The new release includes six additional recordings from the band’s second unreleased album from 1978, entitled “Steps Ahead“. A long play-CD and 2LP-Set, including the great Jazz Funk tracks “Steamer“, Steps Ahead“, “Keep Going“ plus …
Variation and Creation: The Story of PAZ
Five years in the making and representing the twenty-year story of a pioneering British jazz-rock fusion band with strong Latinesque influences… whose alumni over that period included over thirty well-known British jazz musicians… but a band you might not have heard of… or have any of their eight albums… we have finally come up with ‘Variation and Creation: The Story of PAZ’. The album was produced in cooperation with the families of Dick Crouch and Geoff Castle, the heart of the of the band ove…
For Those Who Chant
For Those Who Chant, a record by trumpeter Luis Gasca that was published in 1972 and recorded at Columbia Studios in San Francisco, included a "who's who" of the city's A-tier musical scene from that time period with the participation of musicians. Carlos Santana and a pre-Journey Neal Schon on guitar, a rhythm unit consisting of Lenny White on drums, Stanley Clarke on bass (who were about to leap into a new band named Return to Forever), and the indefatigable Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, t…
Cinemascope
CD deluxe, gatefold mini LP replica with obi & Japanese insert. Pianist-composer Joachim Kühn has been a force on the international jazz scene for half a century. Trained as a classical pianist, Kühn migrated to jazz, playing fusion with Alphonse Mouzon, free jazz with Ornette Coleman, and modern jazz in his iconic group with bassist JF Jenny-Clarke and drummer Daniel Humair. Here he teams up with acclaimed German electric guitarist Toto Blanke, the eclectic Afro-American bassist John Lee, and L…
Kunstkopfindianer
CD deluxe, gatefold mini LP replica with obi & Japanese insert. Fantastic work from avant saxophonist Hans Koller – rare material that stands with the best Free Sound albums he released for MPS in the 70s! By this point in his career, Koller was really exploding with talent – a sax player who first begun in the postwar years with modes that were more California modern, but expanded and changed throughout the 60s – to the point where Hans was one of the most open-minded, freely-creative musicians…
Bright Size Life
New vinyl edtition as part of the "Luminessence" Series, presented as a tip-on gatefold including new photos from the archive. “I personally feel this is a great record and recommend it to everyone. It’s positive and hot and simply excellent.” – Gary Burton
Pat Metheny had debuted at ECM as a member of Gary Burton’s band on the album Ring in 1974, but Bright Size Life, his first studio recording as a leader, was the album that decisively put him on the map as a bright new force, with something…
Ball of Eyes
Placebo's debut album "Ball of Eyes" is a remarkably focused Soul Jazz record, without the experimentation or Free Jazz moments which were still in vogue during the first half of the '70s. Excellent covers of Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" and Sam & Dave's "You Got Me Hummin'" as well as his own compositions make "Ball of Eyes" a perfect example of the genius of Marc Moulin and his incredible band.
1973
The "1973" album continues in the same vein as "Ball of Eyes", though it's definitely funkier and head boppin' than the debut. The real-ear grabber is the superb Moog soloing by Moulin. Placebo is grooving your socks off in the first half of the album and a more concentrated jazzy swing can be found on the second half
Placebo
** mini LP replica with OBI & Japanese insert ** First time ever on CD around the world. Marc Moulin (1942 - 2008) was a Belgian musician and journalist. In the early '70s, he was the leader of the Jazz-Rock group Placebo. Moulin was one of Belgium's jazz legends, making jazz-influenced records for over 30 years. Marc Moulin's three Placebo albums are the 'Holy Grail' for the rare groove crowd, a sector of music fans who love that unique '70s style of cool.Placebo's eponymous third album is glos…
Gateway
Joining their newly launched Luminessence audiophile vinyl-reissue series, the legendary imprint, ECM, digs deep into their own vaults and comes up with an absolute gem: the guitarist John Abercrombie, the bassist Dave Holland, and the drummer Jack DeJohnette’s groundbreaking 1975 LP “Gateway”. Rooted in approaches drawn from free jazz and unquestionably springing from both Holland and DeJohnette’s time working in Miles Davis’ electric fusion band at the end of the 1960s and early '70s, it’s a r…
Exciting Drums African Rock Party
An early masterpiece under the name of Count Buffalo – this is legendary drummer Akira Ishikawa’s first record, from 1969! Genuine jazz, rock and African groovy sound. A rare groove album with a soulful arrangement throughout, with Kozaburo Yamaki and Hiroshi Takami as arrangers. Essential!
Back To Rhythm
Akira Ishikawa is renowned as a super funky drummer in Japan, earning praise for his ability to freely explore and blend jazz, rock, and African music into a unique musicality. Throughout his career, which spans from jazz rock to rare groove, this particular work stands out for its exceptional song selection and exhilarating musicality. "Let's Start" delivers a tight cover of Fela Kuti's Afro-funk, "Bongo Rock" presents a dynamic song with drum breaks, and "Pick Up The Pieces" offers a jazz-funk…
Caosmosi
After their debut album the most multifaceted and unpredictable musical collective in Italy – Addict Ameba – come back with their sophomore album, “Caosmosi”. Faithful to the aim of bringing together different paths, traditions and horizons in their music, the band moves between desert-blues and afrobeat landscapes, with latin rock rides and ethio-jazz parentheses. The vision of the album is further enriched by two absolutely valuable features: Joshua Idehen, Anglo-Nigerian poet and singer and p…
Fusion Global Sounds Vol. 2 (1976 - 1984)
"Favorite Recordings returns with the second edition of its compilation series: Fusion Global Sounds. Comprising eight rare and hidden tracks produced between 1976 and 1984 in various parts of the world, this hot-off-the-plate comp delivers a mighty-fine array of dynamic, soul-feeding jazz, soul, disco, jazz and funk delicacies. As a fine collector of jazz-funk and fusion for many years, curator Charles Maurice can be credited for sourcing the ingredients for and cooking up this fine spread of f…
Hellbound Train (An Anthology)
*2024 stock* Hellbound Train is a double-album retrospective from Steve Tibbetts with music selected by the US guitarist from 40 years of recordings on ECM . Neatly divided into electric and acoustic chapters, the anthology juxtaposes pieces originally featured on the albums Northern Song, Safe Journey, Exploded View, Big Map Idea, The Fall Of Us All, A Man About A Horse, Natural Causes and Life Of. With its liquid melodies and textures and hypnotic patterns and pulsations subtly influenced by…
Jazz-Funk from Luxembourg 1981-1986
*300 copies limited edition* Tucked away in a corner of northwestern Europe and so small you could drive through it in minutes without noticing you were ever there, Luxembourg is often overlooked. This is also true for Luxembourg’s music scene, and even more so in the early 1980s. Aside from a string of victories at the annual Eurovision song contest or the mighty Radio Luxembourg that had for decades been blasting jazz, rock and other modern music into stolid Western European ears, very little …
Lepok
*300 copies limited edition* The very unique Basque scene of sound experimentation has had two main hubs for more than twenty years: the highly regarded and sorely missed Larraskito in Bilbao, and the iconic and resilient Matadeixe / Matadero in Azkoitia (Gipuzkoa). Mikel (Conteiner, Killerkume, Loan, Orbain Unit) from Bilbao and Joseba (Autoa, Fernalia, Paezur) from Azpeitia are two fundamental pillars in this great story, thanks to their multiple musical projects, their skills as listeners and…
Live In Europe 1970-1971
*2023 repress* There can be little more exciting or rewarding than listening to a band playing live and firing on all cylinders at the absolute peak of its powers, and the live performances presented here by Nucleus are no exception. They capture the group in arguably its finest incarnation right at the start of its long career, exhibiting a staggeringly high level of musical discipline matched by an equally impressive ability to improvise and solo.
Nucleus began its long jazz-rock journey in 19…